Every season, we put ourselves through the exercise of naming one fantasy football sleeper from each team. It’s not easy. While several rosters are deep with established talent in essentially every position group (Bengals), others are relatively thin across the board (Falcons). You also have a few teams with multiple legit breakout candidates, making it tough to pick just one (Jets). Still, that didn’t deter us from our mission, so we scoured the 2022 fantasy rankings to find guys who might be just a bit too low.
No one hits on all their sleeper picks. If they did, they really wouldn’t be that big of “sleepers,” now would they? Digging deep into the depth charts for all 32 teams allows for a chance to find those players who could make the most of their opportunities, leading to breakout seasons. Consistency will always be an issue, but that’s life in the NFL.
2022 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
You’ve probably circled some of the players on this list, too (Kenneth Walker III, Irv Smith Jr., Treylon Burks), but they’re still far from the top tier at their positions. Others aren’t likely to be rostered out of the gates in most leagues (Romeo Doubs, Kenny Pickett, Zamir White), but they have plenty of “in-case-of-injury” upside. We also have players you're definitely over being hyped about because they’ve consistently fallen short of expectations (Baker Mayfield, Van Jefferson Jr., C.J. Uzomah), but, again, we had to pick someone from every team, so there’s bound to be a few reaches.
2022 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
Ultimately, all of these players warrant your attention in some capacity, as they could significantly outperform their ADPs. Value and opportunity are both hugely important in fantasy football, and looking at each team as opposed to each position gives you a unique insight into both.
2022 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
We have a mix of all positions below, with five QBs, eight RBs, 12 WRs, five TEs, and two D/STs. Sorry, no kickers. This was hard enough as it was.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet
Fantasy Sleepers 2022: One breakout pick from every NFL team
Arizona Cardinals: Rondale Moore, WR
Moore’s looking to build on a respectable rookie season that saw him catch 54 balls for 435 yards with one TD (plus another 76 yards on the ground). With DeAndre Hopkins suspended the first six games and Christian Kirk now in Jacksonville, Moore’s likely to see a good amount of targets. Even in a crowded WR room a season ago, he saw a 26.2-percent target rate, so the addition of Hollywood Brown isn’t concerning. When he’s running routes, Kyler Murray is looking his way. Moore’s much more valuable in PPR leagues than he is in standard formats, as his average depth of target was just 3.3 yards (98th in NFL), and he isn’t much of a threat in the red zone (eight targets in 2021) yet, but he’s a big play waiting to happen and can be used in a variety of ways. -- Nick Musial
2022 RANKINGS TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Allgeier, RB
Allgeier has great instincts for a back with a 5-11, 224-pound frame. He’s a good cutter and very tough off tackles, but he lacks elite burst. Either way, the cupboard is pretty barren in the Atlanta RB room, as 31-year-old converted WR Cordarrelle Patterson is still the leader. Allgeier could pave his way to a decent role in a Falcons offense that doesn’t have much to lose. We have a tough time envisioning Patterson recreating the magic run he enjoyed in 2021, Mike Davis has moved his mediocrity to Baltimore, and Damien Williams never poses much of a threat to the playing time of any halfway-decent back. After running for 1,601 yards (5.8 yards per carry), catching a respectable 28 passes for 199 yards, and scoring 23 total TDs during his final season at BYU, Allgeier seems ready to take the next step. He’s bound to be undervalued in drafts. -- Sloan Piva
2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall
Baltimore Ravens: D/ST
We fully understand why folks seem ambivalent about Baltimore’s D/ST this season, after brutally ranking 26th in fantasy points in 2021. The Ravens gave up the most passing yards in the league, and only three teams had fewer takeaways. But injuries also ran rampant in Baltimore, from preseason through January. Two-time All-Pro defensive back Marcus Peters suffered a torn ACL just days before the season kicked off, and fellow Pro Bowl corner Marlon Humphrey missed a chunk of games late in the season.
Still, the Ravens exhibited a top-notch rushing defense — no NFL team allowed fewer ground yards. They have a bunch of ducks on their schedule this season, and they expect plenty of upper-echelon talent to return to full health. According to FantasyPros, the Ravens D/ST has a current ADP of 264, sometimes being drafted as low as 315! Baltimore would be as exciting a last-round pick as landing “The Wire” in the final round of an HBO series draft. -- SP
2022 FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY:
Snake drafts | Auctions | Dynasty | Best ball | IDP
Buffalo Bills: James Cook, RB
Another talented rookie RB, Cook could supplant Devin Singletary and Zack Moss on the Bills’ depth chart early in the year. The Georgia product might not have the vision of Kenneth Walker III, but he makes up for it with 4.4-speed and phenomenal pass-catching skills. Cook averaged 6.4 yards per carry and 10.5 yards per reception in his senior season with the Bulldogs, and he could be an instant-impact player in Josh Allen’s electric offense. Cook in the late-middle rounds would be quite the get. -- SP
2022 CONSISTENCY RATINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Carolina Panthers: Baker Mayfield, QB
Mayfield has a chance to revamp his football career and fantasy stock in Carolina this season. He’ll be competing with Sam Darnold for the job during the summer. If Mayfield can win the job, he should be able to put up good numbers with a pair of talented WRs and one of the best receiving backs in the game. We’ve seen him be a consistent fantasy starter in the past, and at 27, it’s not as if he’s past his prime. The Panthers were 14th in pass attempts last year but 29th in yards. The potential is there for a big improvement in this passing offense. -- Jovan Alford
Chicago Bears: Khalil Herbert, RB
Herbert made the most of his 103 carries and 16 targets in his rookie season, netting 4.2 yards per carry and hauling in 14 catches. He only scored one touchdown, but touchdown dances are pretty rare for guys getting eight total red-zone attempts. Chicago (6-11) averaged just 1.4 red-zone touchdowns and just 18.3 total points per game last season, so there’s plenty of room for positive offensive regression. David Montgomery has averaged just 11.6 starts across his three NFL seasons, so there might be room for Herbert to make some noise and even potentially take over the lead role. -- SP
Cincinnati Bengals: Hayden Hurst, TE
Sorry, the Bengals just don't have many good sleeper options, as all their other skill players are pretty well established. Hurst could legitimately improve his fantasy football ranking in one of the more explosive offenses in the league, though. It will be tough to do so with the Bengals having Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, but last season, we saw C.J. Uzomah score five touchdowns with the Bengals. Hurst could do the same thing this season after scoring eight touchdowns over the past two seasons in Atlanta. We shouldn’t put a ton of faith into Hurst, but he could be a nice addition off of waivers. -- JA
Cleveland Browns: David Bell, WR
Don’t worry about Bell’s 4.65 40-time as he’s one of those guys who just makes plays when the lights are the brightest. The 21-year-old rookie from Purdue has a chance to emerge as one of the Browns’ top pass-catching options after he was the featured WR for the Boilermakers. In his final season at Purdue, Bell caught 93 passes for 1,286 yards and six scores. Everything is in flux in the Cleveland passing game right now, and Bell has the talent to form an instant connection with whoever plays QB. -- NM
Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Tolbert, WR
With Michael Gallup (left knee) unlikely to see the field for the first few weeks of the season and James Washington suffering a right foot injury, Tolbert’s expected to compete for a Week 1 starting spot in Dallas’ highly-efficient offense. Tolbert’s likely to assume the Cedrick Wilson role of last year – one that saw Wilson lead the league in catchable target rate (91.8-percent) and score six touchdowns (20th in NFL). The 6-3, 190-pound product out of South Alabama has all the tools, as shown by Dallas’ willingness to shell out a third-round selection on a guy who played in the Sun Belt. -- NM
Denver Broncos: Albert Okwuegbunam, TE
Okwuegbunam is another one of those sleepers that owners think will improve with Russell Wilson at quarterback. The former Mizzou star will be the starter, as the Broncos traded away Noah Fant and his 90 targets in the deal for Wilson. Last season, Okwuegbunam had 33 receptions (40 targets) for 330 yards and two touchdowns, which isn’t earth-shattering but solid for a backup tight end. He won’t be one of the top-three receiving options for Wilson, but with his ultra-athletic, 6-5 frame, he can be a beast in the red zone. -- JA
Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR
Williams (knee) will begin his NFL career on the sidelines, but once he’s back healthy, he could very well surpass Amon-Ra St. Brown in becoming the Lions’ most consistent fantasy option. The No. 12 overall pick was Alabama QB Bryce Young’s go-to option last season, racking up 1,572 yards on 79 receptions and 15 TDs. Williams’ ability to stretch the field could lead to Jared Goff chucking the pigskin deeper this season, as Goff was a Checkdown Charlie in his first season in Detroit (6.6 average intended air yards). -- NM
Green Bay Packers: Romeo Doubs, WR
Not many know about Doubs, Green Bay’s fourth-round selection in this year’s draft out of Nevada. The 6-2, 204-pound speedster has a real shot to emerge as another one of those “no-name” wideouts Aaron Rodgers loves to target. Doubs will likely enter the season as a second-stringer, but given the war of attrition a 17-game NFL slate has on teams, Doubs is an injury or two away from logging a respectable snap percentage in his first season. Doubs might be a year away from becoming a reliable fantasy producer, but he’s still worthy of consideration in deeper leagues. -- NM
Houston Texans: Dameon Pierce, RB
A bruising beast of a 5-10, 220-pound back, Pierce’s highlight reel at Florida makes him look like a distant relative of Marshawn Lynch. He obviously doesn’t have the downhill speed or between-the-tackle abilities of Beast Mode, but he could certainly be good enough to surmount Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead on the Texans’ depth chart. (Update: Mack was cut in late August.) And even if Houston’s offensive line has another terrible campaign, Pierce should get the majority of whatever goal-line snaps the Texans rack up. -- SP
Indianapolis Colts: Mo Alie-Cox, TE
Alie-Cox will be the Colts’ starting tight end this season after Jack Doyle retired. He’s been a favorite on the waiver wire over the past two seasons due to his knack for finding the end zone. Last season as a backup, Alie-Cox had 24 receptions (45 targets) for 316 yards and four touchdowns; Doyle had 29 catches (43 targets) for 302 yards and three TDs. Three out of Alie-Cox’s four touchdowns came inside the red zone, which should only improve with Matt Ryan at quarterback this season. Ryan always found a way to get the tight end involved in Atlanta, and that won’t change in Indianapolis where the wide receiver corps is in flux. -- JA
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB
Lawrence did not have a great rookie season in 2021, but he should improve this season with new head coach Doug Pederson. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 59.6 of his passes for 3,641 yards, 12 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, but one bright spot was his respectable 334 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground. For his efforts, Lawrence scored 12.7 fantasy points per game, which was lower than Davis Mills (12.8) and Mac Jones (14). The additions of WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram should help, but any bet on Lawrence is a bet on his talent and addition-by-subtraction of departed coach Urban Meyer. The talent around him is decent, but Lawrence must play better. -- JA
Kansas City Chiefs: Skyy Moore, WR
Moore and the rest of the Chiefs’ wide receiver room are all boom-or-bust candidates in 2022, with a higher boom capacity given Patrick Mahomes is their QB. Moore is the WR we’re going with as his a relatively unknown commodity in the fantasy world. Kansas City leads the league in available targets, as 53 percent of last year’s looks have been vacated following the losses of Tyreek Hill, Byron Pringle, and Demarcus Robinson. Kansas City’s still the team to beat in the AFC West, and their potent offense will lead to fantasy production for a few of their pass-catchers. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Moore are better suited for PPR production, while Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Mecole Hardman have higher ceilings in standard leagues. At least one will vastly outperform his draft position, so pick your poison. The 5-10, 195-pound Moore seems the most likely after Kansas City used a second-round pick on him. -- NM
Las Vegas Raiders: Zamir White, RB
We’re not gonna sugarcoat this, finding a sleeper in Las Vegas’ offense was a tall task. When a team is fairly defined with their projected roles, finding an under-the-radar sleeper makes things that much more difficult. While the Raiders’ backfield will be divvied up between Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake, if either of the two gets banged up over the course of the season, White’s the guy flexed into action. White’s a steady back who won’t wow you with his physical tools, but he can get the job done. His lack of usage in the passing game makes him a much more realistic streaming option in standard leagues if he eventually gets semi-regular usage. -- NM
UPDATE: With Drake being released in late August, White's path to fantasy relevance got more than a little easier. He'll still have to contend with Brandon Bolden, but he's closer to a key role.
Los Angeles Chargers: Isaiah Spiller, RB
Spiller landed on our sleeper list because of Austin Ekeler’s injury history and because non-Ekeler RBs totaled 165 touches for the Chargers last season. At 6-1, 216 pounds, Spiller has NFL-ready strength and good short-field vision — he’s easily LA’s second-best RB on Day 1. Granted, that’s not saying much with Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III on the depth chart. Spiller is probably a ways away from being an effective three-down back, and the Bolts have a brutal schedule for the ground game, so temper your expectations a bit. Still, a handcuff is a handcuff, and Justin Herbert’s No. 2 RB will always have value. Expect Spiller to take over that role relatively early in the season. -- SP
Los Angeles Rams: Van Jefferson Jr., WR
Jefferson’s in a deep and skilled Rams’ WR room, and despite being an auxiliary piece, he’s capable of putting forth fantasy-worthy production in ‘22. The former second-round pick has appeal in both standard and PPR formats, as he hauled in six TDs (20th in NFL) on 16 red-zone targets (16th in NFL) last season. Jefferson operates primarily in the slot (213 slot snaps in ‘21) and is a part of Los Angeles’ three-WR sets, giving him the chance to produce his first 1,000-plus yard season. It’s always a wise proposition to buy into the more efficient offenses, and while Jefferson isn’t a featured piece, his red-zone production warrants a pick in deeper leagues. Jefferson tweaked his recently operated left knee in training camp and will need surgery to clean things up. He could end up missing the first couple of weeks of the regular season, which may actually present some value to his descending ADP. -- NM
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB
Tagovailoa is due for a breakout season, especially if he can stay healthy. The Dolphins added Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson in free agency to go along with Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki. They also signed running backs Chase Edmonds, Sony Michel, and left tackle Terron Armstead. Tagovailoa has the weapons around him to succeed, so it’s up to him to put it together with new head coach Mike McDaniel, who designed creative, efficient offenses while in San Francisco. -- JA
Minnesota Vikings: Irv Smith Jr., TE
If there’s a tight end who could skyrocket up the tight end rankings this season, it’s Smith Jr. He missed all of last season due to a knee injury after having a solid 2020. During that season, Smith Jr. had 30 receptions (43 targets) for 365 yards and five touchdowns as the TE2 for Minnesota. Last year, Tyler Conklin surprisingly caught 61 passes (87 targets) for 593 yards and three touchdowns. Those 87 targets were 12th among all TEs, which is notable because Conklin wasn’t even the unquestioned TE1 early in the season. Minnesota’s receiver situation hasn’t changed, so there’s no reason why Smith can’t better those stats this season with his athleticism. He’s going to get the opportunities. -- JA
New England Patriots: Jakobi Meyers, WR
Meyers’ lackluster touchdown production could be looked at as a cause for concern in standard-scoring formats, but he’s likely to put forth a higher TD output in 2022. Despite hauling in just one TD a season ago, Meyers saw 14 red-zone targets come his way (32nd among WRs). In total, Meyers saw 126 total targets (20th in NFL), commanding a 24.4-percent target share (20th in NFL) in the Patriots' offense. The addition of DeVante Parker could eat into Meyers’ targets, but on the flip side, it will help decrease his ADP. Meyers' continuity with Mac Jones could give him the upper hand in the early weeks, setting him up as either a major draft steal or, at the very least, a sell-high trade candidate in the middle weeks of the season. -- NM
New Orleans Saints: Jameis Winston, QB
A lot of people are sleeping on Winston, who was playing well before suffering a season-ending left knee injury in Week 8. Winston averaged 17.2 FPPG (14th most) in seven games, so he was on the verge of being a low-end QB1 despite missing Michael Thomas. Fast forward to this season, Winston will improve those numbers with Thomas, Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry, and Marquez Callaway. New Orleans might be without Alvin Kamara for a few games due to pending discipline, and the loss of coach Sean Payton is sure to affect its offense. Either way, Winston will have his duds, but he can boom with the best of them. -- JA
New York Giants: Kadarius Toney, WR
Toney’s skill set gives him top-30 upside, but the uncertainty surrounding his usage in Brian Daboll’s offensive scheme knocks him down our preseason lists. Toney was uber-efficient when on the field during his rookie season, ranking 17th among all WRs in yards per route run (2.13). Albeit a small sample size, Toney’s elusiveness displayed at Florida carried over to the next level, as he led all WRs in juke rate (66.7 percent). 239 of his 420 receiving yards came after the catch, signifying his elite athleticism and playmaking ability. It’s tough to rely on Daniel Jones to throw you passes, but Toney’s upside makes him a value pick at his ADP in both formats. -- NM
New York Jets: C.J. Uzomah, TE
Uzomah is looking to build off of his excellent 2021 season in Cincinnati. Uzomah did a great job of finding his niche within a loaded Bengals’ wide receiver unit, recording 49 receptions (63 targets) for 493 yards and five touchdowns. However, Uzomah will be sharing snaps with Tyler Conklin, but he could still see similar targets. The Jets have a nice young wide receiver unit that could do a little bit of everything on the field, but Uzomah might still be a key contributor in the red zone. -- JA
Philadelphia Eagles: D/ST
Philly displayed some reasons for optimism in ‘21, ranking top 10 in yards allowed and net yards allowed per rushing attempt. However, there were plenty of factors that made the Eagles a tough D/ST to roster last year. They were 18th in points allowed and ranked in the bottom six in takeaways and red-zone defense. They also ranked 23rd in third-down defense and total first downs allowed. The offseason additions of Haason Reddick and first-round DT Jordan Davis should help Philly’s pass rush, and former Giant cornerback James Bradberry should complement Darius Slay well in the secondary. There are also a lot of questionable QBs on the schedule, including in Week 14 (@ Giants), Week 15 (@ Bears), and Week 17 (vs. Saints). -- SP
Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB
Pickett will be battling it out for the starting quarterback job in Pittsburgh this summer with Mitchell Trubisky. If the young quarterback loses the battle, do not shut the door on him starting sometime this season. Trubisky is more of a stop-gap option than a bonafide long-term option in the Steel City. When Pickett does play, he’ll have an assortment of options at the skill positions (Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, Pat Freiermuth) to be successful. In his last season at Pittsburgh, Pickett was one of the best quarterbacks in college football, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also was a threat on the ground with 241 yards and five scores. With the Steelers, Pickett won’t be asked to run the ball much, but he has a good running back in Najee Harris to hand the ball off to. Either way, Pickett has major boom-or-bust potential when he gets a chance to start, so don’t be afraid to grab him/stash him if you’re going ultra-cheap at QB. -- JA
San Francisco 49ers: Jauan Jennings, WR
Despite logging just 32.5 percent of snaps and hauling in 24 receptions for 282 yards and five touchdowns a season ago, Jennings’ usage will increase in 2022. His chemistry with Trey Lance could lead to an inconsistent-but-solid season, making him a low-risk, high-reward pick given his current, non-existent ADP. Jennings showed his ability to play on the big stage with his most efficient game coming in the 49ers' 27-24 come-from-behind win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams in Week 17. He corralled six passes for 94 yards and two scores, with one of his touchdowns coming by way of Deebo Samuel on a designed RB pass. At 6-3, 212 pounds, Jennings can be a real problem in the red zone. -- NM
Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III, RB
Walker has elusive change-of-direction abilities, amazing speed to get to the edge, and tremendous breakaway speed. His vision, footwork, and burst with Michigan State last year — where he scored 19 total touchdowns — made him look like LaDainian Tomlinson lite. Seahawks fans lamenting the loss of Russell Wilson to Denver should take solace in the fact that they finally have an above-average rusher on their depth chart. Walker’s early ADP of 90 is either a sign that most fairweather football fans have never heard of him or that Seattle’s offensive line and semi-jumbled backfield scares the crap out of everyone. Rookies tend to pick up steam throughout August, so it’s tough to say where his final ADP will wind up, but he has the potential to outproduce a mid-round valuation if he’s getting the bulk of the carries. A slow start is likely in order after preseason hernia issues, but Walker has plenty of long-term value. -- SP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rachaad White, RB
Here’s another rookie who should walk right into the No. 2 RB role for a strong offensive team. Leonard Fournette seems to have a good season every other year, and last year was a good year for the five-year back (it’s science!). Plus, the 27-year-old has played just 63 games over five NFL seasons (12.6 games per season). Not great, Bob! White might not profile as a highlight-reel guy, but he has decent speed and vision for a 6-0, 214-pound back, and Tom Brady should get the most out of him. White showed his all-around skills during his final season at Arizona State when he ran for 1,000 yards (5.5 yards per carry), caught 43 passes for 456 yards, and scored 16 total TDs. For a late-round flier, you’re better off with White than with another Darrel Williams’ dart throw. -- SP
Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR
Following the departure of former No. 1 wideout A.J. Brown, Tennessee selected the 6-2, 225-pound Burks with the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft. Burks has a legit shot to become Ryan Tannehill’s No. 1 option in his rookie season and could be in line for a big start with fellow WR Robert Woods (torn left ACL) likely to begin the year on the PUP list. In his final year at Arkansas, Burks saw a 29.3-percent target share and racked up 1,104 receiving yards on 66 receptions (16.7 ypr). Like most rookies, his ADP is discounted, allowing for a high-upside draft pick in the middle rounds. -- NM
Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR
While having Carson Wentz throwing can limit your fantasy ceiling, Dotson’s floor appears to be fairly stable in his rookie season. Washington utilized the first-round pick on the Penn State talent, and it’s looking like he’ll be a Week 1 starter in the slot. The 5-11, 184-pound speedster has elusive run-after-catch ability and also racked up 13 yards per reception in his final year at Penn State. He’s currently being picked in the late rounds and might end up as one of those players who wins you your fantasy league. -- NM
